Incredible as it may sound, seasoned Bollywood actor Boman Irani who eventually won the ‘Filmfare Best Supporting Actor’ for his memorable ‘principal character’ with grey shades in ‘3 Idiots’, had “initially refused that same role”. The bohemian Boman disclosed this startling andar-ki-baat at the ‘Humour in Cinema’ session as part of the Whistling Woods ‘Celebrate Cinema’ workshops- festival convened by Subhash Ghai and Meghna Ghai-Puri in which noted director Anand Rai (‘Tanu Weds Manu’) also participated. Justified the outspoken actor Boman in his bass-baritone voice, “That’s because after acting in ‘Munnabhai’ and its sequel, it would have been a hat-trick of similar characters of a ‘khadoos’ college principal whose daughter is wooed by the adamant romantic hero, who is hell-bent on ruining my life. Wiser counsels prevailed, and I made this bid to ‘re-invent’ and used the same ‘lisp’ in my dialogue-delivery for my ‘3 Idiots’ character. Which I had in ‘real-life’ as a school-student. Because of which I used to hardly speak to anyone, till I reached the seventh standard. Simply speaking, I converted my past weakness into my present forte. But due credit also goes to genius director Raju Hirani who was impressed with my lisp, as he precisely knows ‘what will work’,” insists Irani who feels that the perfect blend of ‘tragicomedy’ always works. Not many are aware, that Boman who is also a classy still-photographer, considers the yester-year amazing actor Balraj Sahni (of ‘Do Bigha Zameen’ and ‘Waqt’ fame) among his iconic inspirations.